by Jerome Rohleder

Created on: May 01, 2008

FRIENDS
I have a couple of friends out there who I have known for over 20 years. I think too many people use this word (FRIENDS) too freely and it diminishes its true meaning. These two friends are a married couple and I do not want to get them mixed up with my other married friends who I have known for over 30 years

I am trying to be vague here as to not draw attention to who they are, but as to the transformation that I have witness over the years.

Back to the 20 year friends, I have known the male for about 5 years longer than the female, and he is one of the most polite, respectful and friendliest guys I know. She is the same, but I would say a little more determined than him at life's ambitions. This is not a bad thing now, so don't go negative on me. They are both religious people and attend church regularly.

Now to my point, I have watched these two friends go from polite, loving, friendly and respectful, to just the opposite. But I am not talking to others, but to each other!

They cannot do anything together now without getting into a nasty argument and then get just plain mean and nasty to each other. It hurts me when I see and hear this, but I hold my tongue. When I say cannot do anything together, I am talking about cooking hamburgers, washing a car, cutting the grass, NOTHING!

But what makes this a really bad scenario is that they have two kids. When I see one of them give something to one or both of the kids, or scolding one or both of them, I see the other parent argue with this action. So what I am witnessing is these two kids going from respectful and polite, to very disrespectful to their parents and if things do not change, these two kids are headed down the wrong path in society.

Now listen to me when I say this! What I am seeing and hearing is not my personal opinion and not partial to one or the other of my friends. But what I am seeing and hearing is reality, bad and sad.

But what really hurts for me is that I cannot say anything and I will not say anything. I do not pray, but I am praying this one time to whomever you want me to, that one, if not both of my friends ask me for my opinion of their situation.

Because they are my friends I will not hold back on what I think at the risk of this friendship. I am willing to risk my friendship with them if it brings them back together and gets their kids back on track.

I am told by Helium that this article is declined because it was to narrow and I offered no solutions. Helium says it needs to be more general so to encourage participation.

I beg to differ that this subject is to narrow. The subject of being friends of married couple who are struggling with their relationship is not to narrow and is an epidemic in America. I am sure most of Americans have either been in such a relationship and/or know of friends who have been.

And as far as a solution, this subject is not like adding 2 and 2, this is LIFE! And life is just a tad more difficult to FIX, or find a solution to. But I did offer a potential solution if my friends would have asked me for help.

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